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Automation Integration · head to head

Activiti vs Apache Superset

Activiti logo

Activiti

Automation Integration

Apache 2.0 BPMN engine under Hyland, from which Flowable and Camunda were forked

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apache Superset logo

Apache Superset

Spreadsheets

Modern data exploration and visualization platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Activiti the last stable release was 8.2.0 in January 2024, and while release candidate builds continue, a two-year gap between stable versions is a real risk signal for a production dependency.; Apache Superset no commercial pricing; open-source project
  • They diverge on capability: Activiti covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Apache Superset covers 40+ Visualizations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Activiti and Apache Superset actually diverge.

Attributes where Activiti and Apache Superset differ
AttributeActivitiApache Superset
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Self-hosted, Docker
CategoryAutomation IntegrationSpreadsheets
FoundedUnknown1999

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Activiti

  • BPMN 2.0 engine
  • Activiti Cloud
  • Modeler
  • Java and REST APIs
  • Pluggable persistence
  • Identity integration

Only in Apache Superset

  • 40+ Visualizations
  • SQL IDE
  • Semantic Layer
  • Caching
  • Security
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • Presto

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Activiti

  • An Alfresco or Hyland content services deployment where Activiti is already the embedded workflow enginenot Apache Superset
  • A Java application that needs to embed a BPMN engine as a library under a permissive licencenot Apache Superset
  • An organisation that has ruled out Camunda 8 on licence grounds and needs an Apache 2.0 alternativenot Apache Superset
  • Document-centric approval workflows where the process engine sits inside the content management stack rather than beside itnot Apache Superset

Apache Superset

  • Self-service analyticsnot Activiti
  • Data explorationnot Activiti
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Activiti
  • Collaborative analysisnot Activiti
  • Embedded analyticsnot Activiti

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Activiti

  • The last stable release was 8.2.0 in January 2024, and while release candidate builds continue, a two-year gap between stable versions is a real risk signal for a production dependency.
  • Both Camunda and Flowable forked away and took large parts of the contributor base with them, so the community, tutorials and third-party tooling around Activiti are much thinner than around either fork.
  • Commercial support is only realistically available by buying Hyland Alfresco subscriptions, so there is no way to pay for Activiti support on its own.
  • Activiti Cloud imposes a distributed architecture of several Spring Boot services plus Keycloak, which is heavy for teams who simply wanted an embeddable engine.
  • Documentation is dated and partly split between old Alfresco sites and Hyland Connect, and the transition between Activiti 6, 7 and 8 architectures makes much of the older material actively misleading.

Apache Superset

  • No commercial pricing; open-source project
  • Commercial hosting available via Preset.io (separate vendor)

Pricing, plan by plan

Activiti

Free
  • ActivitiFree
    • Apache 2.0 licence
    • Embeddable Java library or Activiti Cloud services
    • No usage limits

Apache Superset

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full Features
    • Self-hosted
    • Community Support

Which should you pick?

Choose Activiti if

  • You need bpmn 2.0 engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want activiti cloud.
Activiti review

Choose Apache Superset if

  • You need 40+ visualizations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want sql ide.
Apache Superset review

Questions people ask

Is Activiti or Apache Superset better?
Neither clearly leads. Activiti starts at Free and Apache Superset at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Activiti or Apache Superset?
Activiti starts at Free and Apache Superset at Free.
Does Activiti or Apache Superset run on more platforms?
Activiti runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes. Apache Superset runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker.
Can I use Activiti for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Activiti best used for?
Activiti is most often used for an alfresco or hyland content services deployment where activiti is already the embedded workflow engine, a java application that needs to embed a bpmn engine as a library under a permissive licence, an organisation that has ruled out camunda 8 on licence grounds and needs an apache 2.0 alternative, document-centric approval workflows where the process engine sits inside the content management stack rather than beside it. Of those, an alfresco or hyland content services deployment where activiti is already the embedded workflow engine and a java application that needs to embed a bpmn engine as a library under a permissive licence are not what Apache Superset is typically brought in for.
What can Activiti do that Apache Superset cannot?
Activiti covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Activiti Cloud, Modeler, Java and REST APIs. Apache Superset covers 40+ Visualizations, SQL IDE, Semantic Layer, Caching.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Activiti: Is Activiti still maintained?

Yes, Hyland continues to publish builds, but the last stable release was 8.2.0 in January 2024.

Apache Superset: What does Apache Superset cost?

Apache Superset is open-source software available free under the Apache 2.0 license. There are no licensing costs, subscription fees, or per-seat charges for using Superset itself.

Source
Activiti: What is its relationship to Camunda and Flowable?

Both are forks of Activiti: Camunda in 2013 and Flowable in 2016, when core developers left Alfresco.

Apache Superset: Is there a paid version of Apache Superset?

Apache Superset itself is free and open-source. Preset.io offers commercial Superset hosting with premium support, but this is a separate vendor service, not an official paid tier of Superset.

Source
Activiti: What licence is it?

Apache 2.0, which distinguishes it from Camunda 8’s source-available licence.

Activiti: Should I choose Activiti for a new project?

Only if the Apache licence or an existing Alfresco deployment is decisive. Flowable and Camunda have far larger ecosystems.

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